LOOKING TO RETURN THE FAVOR
It has been a while since Lubbock Christian University went into a weekly pair of games against two opponents in which they dropped meetings to in the prior season encounter, but that is the situation for No.9 LCU this week, hosting No.10 West Texas A&M Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and Eastern New Mexico Saturday at 1 p.m. LCU dropped their first two games of the season in January, falling at Eastern New Mexico (69-68 in overtime on Jan. 16) and West Texas A&M (64-56 on Jan 18). Both games this week are Lone Star Conference divisional contests and LCU (17-3 overall) enters the game with a 4-2 divisional record. WT leads the division (8-0) and a win for the Lady Buffs Thursday would clinch the division. LCU needs to win their remaining four divisional contests and WT would need to lose each of their games this week (at Angelo State Saturday) for LCU to grab a share of the division title. Win or lose (the division title), the seedings of the LSC Championships are based on overall conference record (LCU is currently third with an 11-3 conference mark).
 
COMING OFF A SPLIT
LCU split a pair of road games last week, falling at No.3 Texas A&M-Commerce before rebounding for a win at UT Tyler. Maddi Chitsey averaged 16.5 points and 7.5 rebounds on the week, as she produced a double-double at TAMUC (14 points, 11 rebounds) in a game LCU came back from nearly a 20-point deficit to cut it to a one-point game late in the second half. She followed co-leading LCU Saturday with 19 points off 9-of-17 shooting at UTT. Opposing offenses were held to 35.3% shooting, including TAMUC, who was held below 30% from the field. LCU also received solid play on the week from Allie Schulte (19 points against TAMUC), Ashton Duncan (six three-pointers and 19 points against UTT) and Caitlyn Cunyus (15 points at UTT).

IN RANGE
Both LCU and West Texas A&M's athletic departments announced the establishment of the "Rivalry on the Range," which began this season.
 
The Rivalry on the Range series scoring components will include head-to-head battles in men's soccer, women's soccer, volleyball, men's basketball, women's basketball, baseball and softball (additional points are available in Lone Star Conference and NCAA postseason play). For the sports of cross country, golf and track and field, which do not have head-to-head meetings, the program that records the best finish in each conference championship for those sports will receive points.
 
Additional points will be awarded for competitions involving the student bodies of each university and staff outings, including a golf tournament between athletic departments. Fans can learn about the point system, get news on upcoming games and follow the teams' standings on www.RivalryontheRange.com .
 
LONE STAR DEBUT
The Lady Chaps are playing in their first season in the Lone Star Conference and are 11-3 this season in conference play. A trio of Lady Chaps are averaging double figures in LSC play, led by Maddi Chitsey, who is averaging 14.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per conference game. Allie Schulte (13.1) and Ashton Duncan (10.7) are each averaging in double figures in conference contests. LCU has the advantage in three-point field goals (112-77), steals (103-91) and blocks (76-39) in LSC games. The Lady Chaps have a scoring margin per-game of 14.4 and are holding opponents to a 33.4% shooting mark in those contests.
 
THE MIDDLETON AGES
Lady Chaps junior Emma Middleton had three career three-pointers prior to Jan. 11, but since then is 6-of-8 from three-point range and is now 8-of-13 from long range this season. She has three-pointers in four of the prior eight games played. 
 
LONG DISTANCE NEWS
Ashton Duncan leads LCU with 52 three-pointers this season. Duncan leads the LSC shooting 41.6% from long range (ranks 38^th nationally) and ranks third in the LSC with 2.6 three-pointers per game. She has made at least three three-pointers in 10 games this season, including a career-high six treys Saturday at UT Tyler.
 
TOO MUCH MATH INVOLVED
Despite having one individual player in the top-five in the LSC in assist/turnover ratio, LCU still leads the LSC with a team assist/turnover ratio of 1.16, which ranks 25^th nationally. LCU's individual leader is Caitlyn Cunyus, who ranks fourth in the LSC with a 1.56 ratio (ranks 86^th nationally).
 
WHEN AT HOME
LCU went 15-0 last season inside Rip Griffin Center. With LCU's 72-49 win over St. Edward's Jan. 25, LCU extended their active home win streak to 74 games, which ranks third all-time in NCAA Division II women's basketball (it actively leads all of NCAA). The record is 87 consecutive home victories by Nebraska-Kearney, who completed the task from Jan. 31, 1995 - Nov. 24, 2001. LCU's last home loss came on Jan. 1, 2015 against Oklahoma City University. LCU, who also has a 7-0 mark in NCAA postseason play in Lubbock in the mix, has also won 62 consecutive home conference games, with their last conference home loss occurring Jan. 10, 2013 (against Oklahoma City). They completed a 49-0 all-time mark in Heartland Conference home games.
 
NCAA DIVISION II'S LONGEST HOME WIN STREAKS
87 - Neb.-Kearney Jan. 31, 1995-Nov. 24, 2001
85 - West Tex. A&M Jan. 9, 1987-Dec. 6, 1991
74 - Lubbock Christian Jan. 1, 2015 -->
 
NCAA'S ACTIVE-LEADING HOME WIN STREAKS 
73 – LCU (Division II)
51 – Baylor (Division I)
49 – Drury (Division II)
32 – Iowa (Division I)
 
MORE ON THE HOME FRONT
LCU is 9-0 at home this season. Maddi Chitsey leads LCU averaging 14.6 points at home and joins Allie Schulte (12.8) as players averaging double figures in points at home. LCU is shooting 46.5% at home this season and they are holding opponents to a 31.2% shooting mark. They are 85.4% (105/123) from the free-throw line at home and have a 46-12 advantage in blocked shots.
 
NATIONALLY KNOWN
Based on the preseason rankings for the 2019-20 season (D2SIDA, WBCA along with Lone Star Conference), the Lady Chaparrals carry the highest expectations in program history to start a season. D2SIDA placed the defending national champions No.1 and the WBCA ranked LCU No.2 despite the Lady Chaps receiving 14 of the 23 first place votes. Each ranking marked their highest preseason ranking in program history. The LSC preseason ranked LCU No.1 in their preseason rankings. LCU held their debut rankings for seven-in-season rankings, until dropping to No.9 (WBCA) and No.21 (D2SIDA) on Jan. 21. They worked their way to No.8 in the WBCA poll until falling at A&M-Commerce and enter this week No.9 (WBCA) and No.22 (D2SIDA).
 
HOW TOUGH IS IT?
LCU's strength of schedule, of games played, ranks as the fourth toughest schedule of games played in NCAA Division II play. LCU's opponents have combined for a .605 win percentage. They have the second-toughest strength of schedule of games played of ranked programs. The Lady Chaps have faced three nationally ranked programs and LCU is 1-2 against those foes this season (LCU went 6-1 last season against nationally ranked foes).
 
BLOCK PARTIES ARE BACK
LCU ranks ninth nationally in blocks (102) and 10th in blocks per game (5.5). Maddi Chitsey leads the team with 44 blocks (third in the conference and 19th nationally), at a pace of 2.2 per game (third in the conference and 20^th nationally). LCU has ranked in the top-10 nationally in blocks each season since the 2015-16 season, which was their first season eligible to have statistics included among NCAA leaders. They ranked 10th in total blocks last season (155), second in 2017-18 (202, ranking fourth with a pace of 6.1 per game), fourth in 2016-17 (170, leading the nation with 5.7 per game) and led NCAA Division II in 2015-16 with 235 blocks (6.7 per game).
 
CHARITY WORK
The Lady Chaps lead the LSC in free-throw percentage (ranking 21^st nationally) at 77.8%. In each season LCU has been eligible to have team statistics included among NCAA Division II leaders (2015-15), the Lady Chaps have finished in the top-three in their conference in free-throw shooting. They led the Heartland Conference in 2017-18 with a 76.2% mark from the line, ranking 33rd nationally. Their highest national ranking is 32nd (75.0%) from the 2015-16 season. Maddi Chitsey leads LCU and is fifth in the LSC with a 76.5% shooting mark from the line (Caitlyn Cunyus, 40/45 - 88.9% and Madelyn Turner, 26/29 - 89.7% do not qualify with enough attempts).
 
BE DEFENSIVE
The Lady Chaps lead the LSC and rank seventh nationally, holding opponents to a 32.7% shooting mark on the season. Of their 20 contests, LCU has held the opponent to under a 30% shooting mark seven times and the highest shooting percentage they have allowed in a game was 42.9% by UT Tyler (Saturday), which has been the only time an opponent shot over 40% in a game this season against LCU.
 
D-NOTES
The Lady Chaps lead the LSC in defensive rebounds a game with a mark of 28.3 per contest, which ranks 50^th nationally. Their team leaders in defensive rebounds per game is Maddi Chitsey, who ranks seventh in the LSC with 5.0 per contest.
 
FIVE THINGS ABOUT WTAMU
1 > The Lady Buffs went 29-4 last season and shared the LSC Regular Season Championship honors with Angelo State University. They ended up hosting the opening two rounds of the South Central Region Tournament, where they fell to Angelo State (led to LCU hosting the region championship game).
2 > WT is preseason picked second in the LSC Preseason Poll. They are 20-3 overall this season with an 13-1 conference record and an 8-0 divisional record. The Lady Buffs are also 8-1 on the road this season and enter Thursday's game riding a 12-game win streak overall.
3 > The Lady Buffs enter the week allowing an average of 49.8 points per game this season, which leads the Lone Star Conference and ranks fifth in all of Division II Women's Basketball. WT allowed a season-low 26 points to Adams State on Nov. 29th, marking the sixth lowest opponent point total in program history. WT has also held an opponent scoreless in a quarter on two different occasions this season.
4 > WT has a rebound margin of 12.7 per game, which is third nationally. They have out-rebounded their opponent in 19 of their 20 games this season.
5 > Tiana Parker leads the LSC and ranks fifth nationally in blocks (67) and is seventh nationally in blocks per game (2.9). Teammate Abby Spurgin is behind her in the conference rankings and is ninth nationally with 56 blocks.
 
THE SERIES AGAINST WTAMU
LCU and WT are separated by 110 miles, but the two teams have only met four prior times (this season marks the first season in which they face each other multiple times). The first meeting came on Nov. 16, 2001, with WT defeating LCU 90-53 in Canyon, Texas (LCU's 2001-02 season opener). They had two meetings prior to this season (and the only two meetings in Lubbock) at the South Central Region Championship Game, which came in 2016 (LCU winning 88-68) and 2018 (LCU winning 56-53). With the prior meeting this season (Jan. 18) won by WT, the overall series is tied 2-2.

ACTIVE LADY CHAP LEADERS VS. WTAMU
Here is a look at LCU's top three active leaders career vs. WTAMU:

Emma Middleton 1GP 14.0 pts/g, 2/3 3pt-FG
Madelyn Turner 1GP 13.0 pts/g, 1/2 3pt-FG
Maddi Chitsey 2GP 9.5 pts/g,


PREVIOUS RECAP VS. WTAMU
Jan. 16, 2020 (Canyon, Texas) - WT:64 - LCU:56
No.25 West Texas A&M registered an astonishing 13 blocks and No.1 Lubbock Christian University struggled from the field in the second half, as the Lady Buffs upset the Lady Chaparrals 64-56 in a Lone Star Conference divisional contest and Rivalry on the Range series match-up inside First United Bank Center Saturday afternoon.

The 13 blocks by the Lady Buffs was the fourth-most in their program history and the most against the Lady Chaps under the leadership of Steve Gomez, who is in his 17th season coaching the Lady Chaps. The prior high against LCU, under Gomez, was by Columbia College (Mo.), who had 12 on Mar. 17, 2011 in the NAIA National Tournament. Team records prior to 2002 do not contain game-by-game highs for LCU opponents.

High block numbers by an LCU opponent is something they are not accustomed to seeing (LCU opponents this season averaged 1.8 blocks per game prior to Saturday's contest). The last time an LCU opponent had more than six blocks in a game was Mar. 19, 2012. Saturday game had the appearance in which every shot WT contested was a block and every shot LCU contested was a foul. The fouls led to WT capitalizing at the line. The Lady Buffs, entering the game 10th in the LSC in free-throw shooting, connected well above their average, shooting 80.8% from the line (21-of-26). The 21 points at the line is the most allowed by LCU this season (the most since Central Missouri had 22 against LCU at the NCAA Division II Elite Eight Tournament on Mar. 19, 2018) and the 26 attempts matches a season high by an LCU opponent.

As much as the blocks and points from the free-throw line benefited WT, it was shooting struggles late in the second quarter and much of the second half, which doomed the Lady Chaps. Starting with the final minute of the first half, LCU went a span of 10:37 without a field goal and missed 12 consecutive field goal attempts over the span. LCU was 6-of-29 (20.7%) from the field over the game's final 23:04.

With 8:18 remaining in the second quarter, LCU led 19-11 following a jumper from Emma Middleton. Halfway into the second quarter, WT went 6-of-8 from the field and went into the halftime break leading 27-25. Six of LCU's first eight points of the second half were tallied at the free-throw line, but most followed a 16-1 run to start the half by WT to build a 43-26 lead. LCU was able to close the quarter on a 10-2 run, with half the points coming from the free-throw line. The two teams combined for 14 points from the free-throw line in the quarter (eight by WT), as WT led 45-36 to start the fourth quarter.

The free-throw shooting contest continued in the fourth quarter. Middleton matched a career high with two three-pointers in the game, and her second jumpstarted an 8-3 run and LCU was able to cut their deficit to 50-46 with 4:24 remaining. The Lady Chaps then went a span of over four minutes without a field goal, but they were able to get eight points from line in the span. LCU trailed 56-52 with 45 seconds remaining, but they could not get any closer. Megan Gamble, who led WT with 17 points, had eight points in the final quarter and went 5-of-8 from the free-throw line. Toss in Braylyn Dollar (5-of-6 from the line in the quarter) and the pair combined for 10 points from the line in the quarter. Each had four free-throw makes in the final 44 seconds of the game to preserve the win.

Of LCU's 31 points in the second half, 18 were from the free-throw line. The Lady Chaps were a miserable 35.3% from the field, for their worst shooting mark since shooting 28.9% on Dec. 30, 2017 against Eastern New Mexico.

The Lady Chaps struggled with rebounds for a second consecutive game. They were out-rebounded 44-30 (biggest margin by an LCU opponent since St. Mary's out-rebounded LCU 52-37). WT collected 14 offensive rebounds, leading to a 9-2 scoring advantage in second-chance-scoring (they had seven points off their four offensive boards in the second half following two points off 10 offensive boards in the first half).

Gamble led all scorers with 17 points, going 4-of-5 from three-point range. She combined with Delaney Nix to go 7-of-13 from long range, while the rest of the team was a combined 0-of-6 from three-point range. Tiana Parker and Dollar combined for 13 points. Dollar notched 11 of her 13 points from the line, where she was 11-of-12. Parker led WT with seven blocks.

Allie Schulte led LCU in the loss with 15 points. She also co-led the team in rebounds with five. Middleton followed with 14 points and Madelyn Turner contributed 13 points. The trio combined to go 17-of-19 from the free-throw line, as Schulte (5-of-5) and Middleton (4-of-4) were perfect and Turner was 8-of-10.